driving from Seattle, WA,US to edmonton, AB, Canada seeking suggestions

[casliupeng]

Hello everyone,
I planning to move from Seattle to Edmonton, AB, Canada this November, I want to drive my 2012 toyota yaris,
since Edmonton is very cold and with heavy snow, do you have any suggestions? Does anyone has similar experience? Thanks.
By the way, what kind of insurance should I bought? Will insurance in Seattle be OK for Canada's trip. I'm sure will exhange my insurance
when I arrived Canada, but what kind of insurance should I use for car during the trip? And do I also need to purchase AAA membership
before I drive?

[kimona]

Not sure what kind of advice you're looking for.

When I moved from Florida to California, I drove my fully loaded 2007 hatchback across country with my son. The little Yaris performed flawlessly and we both found the car surprisingly comfortable.

[IllusionX]

How's winter in Seattle?
Might want winter tires for AB.

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[casliupeng]

Not sure what kind of advice you're looking for.

When I moved from Florida to California, I drove my fully loaded 2007 hatchback across country with my son. The little Yaris performed flawlessly and we both found the car surprisingly comfortable.

Thanks, I have added the details, the most concern is the distance as well as the bad weather including heavy snow.

[kimona]

Well, you will definitely need dedicated winter tyres on all four corners. I would probably install them in Seattle before you leave. You can't be sure what weather you will encounter along the way. Plus, tyres are MUCH cheaper in the States!

[casliupeng]

Well, you will definitely need dedicated winter tyres on all four corners. I would probably install them in Seattle before you leave. You can't be sure what weather you will encounter along the way. Plus, tyres are MUCH cheaper in the States!

Thanks, and how about the insurance problem? What kind of insurance should I bought along the trip?

[kimona]

Your current auto insurance should cover you while you are in Canada, but you will have to re-register your car and apply for insurance coverage at your new Canadian address within x number of days. Check it out. If you don't have AAA, I would consider getting it before you leave. Then, when you settle down in Canada, you can switch to CAA.

[instantninja]

your current insurance should be fine, you can always call and ask your insurer if you are covered to travel into canada.
as for the snow and cold, its cold but the snow is pretty light. coastal snow is much heavier. watch out for ice and compacted snow. might want to get a block heater put in before you make your way to edmonton, shop rates are probably going to be much higher here than in the states.

[libraryelf]

I drove my Yarrie from FL to CA to be shipped HI. PIcked up a nail and had plug put in the tire. I had to do an oil change when I got to HI, that light was on thru 3 states. Yarrie is at the shop today getting everything checked, flushed, tighted and washed. 87,000 miles and still going strong. I drove in late Sept. and didn't drive at night. Left FL on a Thursday and got to CA by the weekend and flew out of CA on Tuesday.

[zoidberg444]

Not sure about insurance. Here in the UK we have agreements with Europe that means car insurance is valid in other European countries for 90 days. Not sure if the US has a similar system with Canada to ease cross border traffic? You should call your insurer.

I drove my Yaris from England 4000 miles to the Nordkapp (about 1000 miles north of the Arctic circle) and back to England with 3 weeks of clothes, camping gear and supplies in with a busted up front end for 6000 miles of it. The car is a serious MACHINE. Climbing mountains, with 20% gradients or steeper in many places and dirt roads on summer tyres. Did it all. I also moved house in my car once. Lugged building supplies around in it and made many trips to the dump with it overloaded. Been on many other holidays camping and roadtripping in Scotland/Cornwall/Wales/Northumberland/Ireland.

I would have no qualms about driving a yaris (with decent winter tyres) up the Dempster highway to Inuvik in the NWT let alone the fairly decent tarmaced roads in BC/AB. You will be fine dude.

I have driven Vancouver, BC to Edmonton, AB and back in a hire car in summer.

If it was me I would probably go north and cross the border around Langley or Abottsford and pick up the trans-canada highway there, head over the mountains. You can either stay on the trans-canada highway at Kamloops to Calgary and then take the QE highway to Edmonton from there. Given that the more direct minor routes could have severe weather on them or head north on highway 5 and pick up the Yellowhead highway and go through Jasper national park and onto Edmonton direct. I don't know how passable the roads are in winter. I've only driven the Canadian rockies in summer.

[thebarber]

Youll need to import the car at the border crossing in order to insure and plate it in Alberta.

Winter tires are a good idea as Edmonton gets properly cold

[IllusionX]

Youll need to import the car at the border crossing in order to insure and plate it in Alberta.

Winter tires are a good idea as Edmonton gets properly coldAFAIK, it also needs to be imported BEFORE entering Canada. But barber knows more on this than I do. Lol

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[thebarber]

you can import afterwards, you'd just need to head to a local canada customs spot that'd do it.